Apple PowerBook (FireWire) vs Apple PowerBook G3 Series (September 1998)

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PowerBook (FireWire) compared with PowerBook G3 Series (September 1998)

	ApplePowerBook (FireWire)	ApplePowerBook G3 Series (September 1998)
Overview
Released
Released	February 2000	September 1998
Display
Screen size
Screen size	14.1″	14.1″
Resolution
Resolution	1024 × 768	1024 × 768 or 800 × 600
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	14.1-inch active-matrix TFT colour LCD. The maker does not publish IPS/TN subtype, brightness or refresh rate.	Active-matrix TFT; 14.1-inch XGA 1024 × 768 or later 12.1-inch SVGA 800 × 600; resolution scaling supports lower resolutions
Display features
Display features	1024 × 768 native resolution. VGA and S-video output support an extended desktop or video mirroring.	–
Performance
Processor
Processor	PowerPC G3 400 MHz (PowerBook FireWire) or PowerPC G3 500 MHz (PowerBook FireWire)	PowerPC G3 233 MHz (PowerBook G3 Series September 1998), PowerPC G3 266 MHz (PowerBook G3 Series September 1998) or PowerPC G3 300 MHz (PowerBook G3 Series September 1998)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Graphics
Graphics	ATI RAGE Mobility 128 (8 MB SDRAM)	–
Memory
Memory	64 MB or 128 MB (better)	32 MB or 64 MB
Storage
Storage	6 GB to 12 GB (better)	2 GB to 8 GB
CPU
CPU	400 or 500 MHz PowerPC G3, each with 1 MB backside L2 cache and 100 MHz system bus. Exact fitted silicon supplier and process not assigned.	PowerPC G3 at 233, 266 or 300 MHz, 66 MHz system bus; 512 KB backside cache on 233 MHz or 1 MB on 266/300 MHz. Dedicated backside buses 117, 133 or 150 MHz; integrated FPU and 64 KB L1 cache
GPU
GPU	ATI RAGE Mobility 128 graphics controller on AGP 2×, 8 MB video SDRAM. Service Source also names it ATI Rage Mobility M3.	ATI RAGE LT PRO with 4 MB SGRAM on 14.1-inch or 2 MB on 12.1-inch TFT; earlier passive-matrix models remain in the original May entry
Memory type
Memory type	64 MB PC100 SDRAM standard on 400 MHz, 128 MB on 500 MHz; two 144-pin SO-DIMM slots, maker maximum 512 MB using up to 256 MB per slot. EDO and some earlier PC66 modules are incompatible.	32 MB or 64 MB factory SDRAM in two 144-pin SO-DIMM slots; original maker expansion limit 192 MB
Storage type
Storage type	Original Apple factory pairs: 400 MHz/64 MB/6 GB Ultra ATA/66 and 500 MHz/128 MB/12 GB Ultra ATA/66, each with DVD-ROM. Apple offered an 18 GB build-to-order drive without an exact associated factory pairing. Later 10 GB/20 GB refresh is reported by Macworld, not folded into the original launch configurations. Apple launch calls the DVD drive 6× maximum; its Service Source describes a 4× drive and DVD-RAM read compatibility.	Removable 2 GB, 4 GB or 8 GB internal IDE drive. Expansion bays accept CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, optional floppy, battery and third-party modules; 20× CD-ROM or 1.5× DVD-ROM with up to 12× CD reading
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 5 hours	Up to 3.5 hours
Battery capacity
Battery capacity	50 Wh (better)	49 Wh
Weight
Weight	2.7678248 kg (better)	3.5 kg
Thickness
Thickness	43.18 mm	–
Width × depth
Width × depth	322.58 × 264.16 mm	–
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	50 Wh removable lithium-ion battery. Maker claims up to five hours with one battery or ten hours using a second battery in the optical bay. Reference 6.1 lb weight includes DVD and one battery; weight-saving module gives 5.7 lb.	Removable 49 Wh lithium-ion battery; up to 3.5 hours with one or seven hours with two under maker normal-use conditions. Reference 3.5 kg includes modem, battery and CD-ROM; 12.1-inch reference is 3.3 kg. Maker sources give rounded dimensions and conflicting axis labels, so no unqualified dimensions adopted
Charger
Charger	45 W maximum AC power, 100–240 V, 50–60 Hz.	45 W AC adapter
Connections
Ports
Ports	2 × USB-A, Ethernet, headphone jack	Ethernet, headphone jack
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi	AirPort 802.11b with optional internal card	–
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Port detail
Port detail	Two 400 Mbps FireWire ports with FireWire Disk Mode, two USB ports, VGA, S-video, 10/100BASE-T Ethernet, 56K V.90 modem, 4 Mbps IrDA, stereo line input and headphone output. One Type I/II PC Card/CardBus slot. No built-in SCSI or ADB.	ADB, HDI-30 SCSI, RS-422 serial, 10BASE-T Ethernet, RJ-11 K56flex/V.90 modem, 4 Mbps infrared, VGA-style video, S-video and stereo audio input/output. Two Type I/II or one Type III PC Card slots with CardBus; lower slot supports Zoomed Video. No built-in USB or FireWire
External displays
External displays	External VGA monitors and PAL/NTSC S-video televisions; internal/external extended desktop and video mirroring.	VGA-style and S-video output; DVD-Video requires the decoder PC Card supplied with DVD-ROM configurations or optional DVD-Video kit
Keyboard
Keyboard	Full-size keyboard with inverted-T arrows and embedded numeric keypad; flip-up access to RAM, AirPort card and hard drive.	Full-size keyboard with 76 US or 77 ISO keys, twelve function keys, inverted-T arrows and embedded keypad
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in trackpad with tap, double-tap and drag.	Solid-state trackpad supports tap, double-tap and drag
Speakers
Speakers	Built-in stereo speakers.	Two built-in stereo speakers
Microphones
Microphones	Built-in microphone and line input.	Internal omnidirectional microphone
In the box
In the box	Mac OS 9 and 6× maximum DVD-ROM drive in both Apple launch configurations; AirPort card optional. Apple’s 16 February 2000 release explicitly says available immediately at Apple Store and authorised resellers. Current support identifies a 15 February introduction; the first confirmed on-sale day is the 16th. The support table labels its 10.4 × 12.7 × 1.7-inch axes inconsistently; the case orientation gives 12.7-inch width, 10.4-inch depth and 1.7-inch thickness.	Mac OS 8.1, AC adapter and regional cables/adapters. AppleCare article 30895 retrospectively confirms September 1998 release; revised service manual introduces M7229 12.1-inch TFT on 1 October. October brochure lists both CD-ROM and DVD-ROM 300 MHz choices; optical-drive variants share the same CPU/RAM/disk configuration below